Shadow Copies and TSM

[coopert]

I want to enable Shadow Copies on some of my shares that are being backed up by TSM.

I know TSM uses VSS. Would enabling Shodow Copy interfer with backing up data (change a date stamp, flag, etc)?

Is there anything I need to be aware of?

Thank you,

- CooperT

[moon-buddy]

I don't know exactly what you mean by: "Would enabling Shadow Copy interfere with backing up data (change a date stamp, flag, etc)?".

MS starts VSS when a backup software is enabled and stops it when the backup is done. I don't know the effect of constantly enabling it. I tried to enable it once but the OS seems to disable it after a few minutes when it realizes that no backup software needs it.

[Efim]

From version 5.5 TSM can use VSS instead of LVSA for backup open files.
Before that it uses VSS only for backup System State.

VSS can't change backup and production data.

I've 2 issue with VSS:
- When use VSS you can have enough space for save snapshots. In my case 5-10%
- If scheduler don't stop after backup ( I use CAD for run it) the "Volume Shdow Copy" services still running and you can see in the dir "System Volume Information" several very, very big files. It can be affect production system. After stop it the files will be deleted.

Efim

[coopert]

I meant enabling Shadow Copy on a share

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pro...hadowcopy.mspx

I know I would have to exclude the sys vol info if I enable shadow copy, but other than that, does it interfer with TSM in any way.

I may be confused, but I thought Shadow Copy and TSM both use VSS. I dont want to make shadow copies 2x a day, and have it interfer with TSM, so when TSM does its VSS it doesnt get the right files (changed from the last shadow copy, not fromt he last backup).

[moon-buddy]

TSM uses Shadow copy via the VSS functionality. If you enable shadow copy of a shared resource via the scheduler (not to be confused with the TSM Scheduler; I am referring to the Windows scheduler), the files are stored as hidden files and may not be seen by TSM.

This may or may not interfere with TSM but I suggest you do the Shadow copy outside of the TSM window to avoid "resource clash".

[sgabriel62]

If I understand this correctly - if VSS is enabled outside TSM - as someone logs into the server or executes TSM client - the shadow copy process pauses so that changes can be made = restarts when completed or logged off. I want to say this may hinder backing up system state of the server. But Id run a backup of systemstate alone to verify.

[coopert]

So, lets say I run shadow copy on share e:\data at 7:00am and 12:00pm. When TSM runs at 8pm using vss, will it capture files from the last backup (the day before at 8pm), or the last shadow copy? They both use VSS, so I dont want shadow copy affecting the incremental.